by Sheela Narayanan

THE Indian travel agents' boycott of Singapore Airlines (SIA) over the airline's move to scrap commission on ticket sales continues into its third month.

But SIA remains steadfast in their zero-commission position.

SIA's spokesman told tabla!: "Our stance, that the commission fee model is an outdated one and that transaction fee model works best in a service industry, remains unchanged."

The impact of the boycott has been minimal added the spokesman.

"Indeed, some travel agents have continued to sell tickets on Singapore Airlines and SilkAir."

The airline also said that its Internet bookings had doubled since the boycott but declined to reveal figures.

The six associations behind the boycott - Travel Agents Association of India, Travel Agents Federation of India, Iata Agents Association of India, Indian Association of Tour Operators, Association of Domestic Tour Operators and the Enterprising Travel Agents Association of India - had singled out SIA as it is one of the largest foreign airlines operating in India.

They were confident that if SIA could be forced to restore the 5 per cent commission, the rest of the foreign airlines that had implemented zero commission would follow.

The associations added that their members would also not promote Singapore as a travel destination.

And while the Indian travel agents support their travel associations, they naturally would like to see the boycott end.

Ms Nidhi Gopal of Cox and Kings, a Delhi-based travel agency told tabla!: "It looks like SIA is not going to budge from its position. While I support the associations' move, maybe it's time to consider other tactics."

Mr Ram K. Samtani, general manager of Ramesh Travels who is also the secretary-general of the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore, told tabla! that while he understood the emotion behind the agents' move to boycott the airlines, boycotting Singapore as a travel destination is "going overboard".

"It is a backward move and it's just not possible to boycott a destination," he said.

He felt the travel agents might need to look into the Singapore model of charging a service fee instead.

sheela@sph.com.sg

This article was first published in Tabla!